Electronic device

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an electronic device. In the electronic device according to the present disclosure, a central axis of a viewing angle based on an eye of a user and the central axis of the viewing angle based on a lens optical axis of a camera match each other. An electronic device according to the present disclosure may be associated with an artificial intelligence module, robot, augmented reality (AR) device, virtual reality (VR) device, and device related to 5G services.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(a), this application claims the benefit ofearlier filing date and right of priority to Korean Patent ApplicationNo. 10-2019-0112141, filed on Sep. 10, 2019, the contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to an electronic device and, moreparticularly, to an electronic device used for Virtual Reality (VR),Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR).

Related Art

Virtual reality (VR) refers to a special environment or situationgenerated by man-made technology using computer and other devices, whichis similar but not exactly equal to the real world.

Augmented reality (AR) refers to the technology that makes a virtualobject or information interwoven with the real world, making the virtualobject or information perceived as if exists in reality.

Mixed reality (MR) or hybrid reality refers to combining of the realworld with virtual objects or information, generating a new environmentor new information. In particular, mixed reality refers to theexperience that physical and virtual objects interact with each other inreal time.

The virtual environment or situation in a sense of mixed realitystimulates the five senses of a user, allows the user to have aspatio-temporal experience similar to the one perceived from the realworld, and thereby allows the user to freely cross the boundary betweenreality and imagination. Also, the user may not only get immersed insuch an environment but also interact with objects implemented in theenvironment by manipulating or giving a command to the objects throughan actual device.

Recently, research into the gear specialized in the technical fieldabove is being actively conducted.

The gears are often implemented as a glass-type head mounted display(HMD) and the HMD allows to a user to see contents and a real objectoverlapped with each other through a see-through display function. Inaddition, in order to provide such an overlap function, the HDM in therelated art is configured to photograph an external environment of thegear with a separate camera provided in the HMD and then display thephotographed external environment to the user. Further, the glass-typeHMD should be configured to have a small weight and a small size and asmall volume by considering convenience when being worn by the user.

However, as described above, in the glass-type AR and VR bears (AR andVR glass) in the related art, a see-through display and a camera areconfigured to use a separate optical system and it is difficult thatboth the see-through display and the camera are built in a limited spacedue to a glass type.

In particular, in order to implement a stereo type depth camera in theglass-type AR and VR gears in the related art, at least 2 to 3 cameralenses should be disposed on front surfaces of the AR and VR gears in aprotruding state. In addition, there is a problem in that the displayand the camera lens for both eyes of the user are built in, and as aresult, a total weight of the gear also increases.

Further, since an optical axis forming a center of a main view (viewingangle) formed when the user sees the display and the optical axisforming the center of the main view (viewing angle) at which the cameraphotographs the external environment of the gear are different from eachother, heterogeneity which occurs due to a difference between theoptical axes needs to be corrected via software.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure provides an electronic device in which an opticalaxis of a camera mounted on the electronic device and the optical axisof a user who sees the display match each other in using an electronicdevice used in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixedreality (MR), etc.

The present disclosure also provides an electronic device of which size,volume, and weight may be minimized in using an electronic device usedin virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR),etc.

In an aspect, provided is an electronic device including: a displayhaving a see-through function; a processor processing a content to beoutput to the display; a photographing unit acquiring images of anenvironment and objects around the electronic device and including animage sensor; and a reflection unit formed in the display, in which thereflection unit includes a first reflection reflecting the content to aneye of the user, and a second surface reflecting the light incident onthe display from the outside of the electronic device to thephotographing unit.

The reflection unit may be a pin-mirror, the first surface may be anupper surface of the pin-mirror, and the second surface may beconfigured by a lower surface of the pin-mirror, and the first surfaceand the second surface may be disposed back to each other.

A first mirror and a second mirror may be deposited on the first surfaceand the second surface, respectively.

An optical glue may be deposited between the first mirror and the secondmirror, and the optical glue may be made of a transparent material.

The first mirror and the second mirror may have a first curvature and asecond curvature, respectively.

The first curvature and the second curvature may be equal to each other.

The first curvature may be larger than the second curvature.

The first curvature may be smaller than the second curvature.

The processor may be disposed at one end of the display and thephotographing unit may be disposed at the other end of the display andthe processor and the photographing unit may thus face each other.

The processor may be disposed on an upper end of the display and thephotographing unit may be disposed on a lower end of the display, andthe photographing unit may be disposed in a downward direction from avertical direction to an optical axis formed by the eye of the user.

The reflection unit may be spaced apart from the processor by a firstdistance and disposed in the display and spaced apart from thephotographing unit by a second distance and disposed in the display.

The first distance and the second distance may be equal to each other.

The first distance may be larger than the second distance.

The first distance may be smaller than the second distance.

The electronic device may further include a lens array contacting theother end of the display or included in the other end of the display, inwhich the lens array may focus the light on the photographing unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of an AI device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of an eXtendedReality (XR) electronic device according to one embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a VR electronic device according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a situation in which the VR electronic device of FIG.3 is used.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an AR electronic device according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a controller according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 7 to 13 illustrate various display methods applicable to a displayunit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a reflection unitincluded in an electronic device according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment in which thereflection unit is configured by a pin-mirror according to the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment in which thereflection unit is configured by a pin-mirror having a curvature aaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary embodiment of adisplay according to the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

In what follows, embodiments disclosed in this document will bedescribed in detail with reference to appended drawings, where the sameor similar constituent elements are given the same reference numberirrespective of their drawing symbols, and repeated descriptions thereofwill be omitted.

In describing an embodiment disclosed in the present specification, if aconstituting element is said to be “connected” or “attached” to otherconstituting element, it should be understood that the former may beconnected or attached directly to the other constituting element, butthere may be a case in which another constituting element is presentbetween the two constituting elements.

Also, in describing an embodiment disclosed in the present document, ifit is determined that a detailed description of a related artincorporated herein unnecessarily obscure the gist of the embodiment,the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Also, it should beunderstood that the appended drawings are intended only to helpunderstand embodiments disclosed in the present document and do notlimit the technical principles and scope of the present disclosure;rather, it should be understood that the appended drawings include allof the modifications, equivalents or substitutes described by thetechnical principles and belonging to the technical scope of the presentdisclosure.

[5G Scenario]

The three main requirement areas in the 5G system are (1) enhancedMobile Broadband (eMBB) area, (2) massive Machine Type Communication(mMTC) area, and (3) Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communication(URLLC) area.

Some use case may require a plurality of areas for optimization, butother use case may focus only one Key Performance Indicator (KPI). The5G system supports various use cases in a flexible and reliable manner.

eMBB far surpasses the basic mobile Internet access, supports variousinteractive works, and covers media and entertainment applications inthe cloud computing or augmented reality environment. Data is one ofcore driving elements of the 5G system, which is so abundant that forthe first time, the voice-only service may be disappeared. In the 5G,voice is expected to be handled simply by an application program using adata connection provided by the communication system. Primary causes ofincreased volume of traffic are increase of content size and increase ofthe number of applications requiring a high data transfer rate.Streaming service (audio and video), interactive video, and mobileInternet connection will be more heavily used as more and more devicesare connected to the Internet. These application programs requirealways-on connectivity to push real-time information and notificationsto the user. Cloud-based storage and applications are growing rapidly inthe mobile communication platforms, which may be applied to both ofbusiness and entertainment uses. And the cloud-based storage is aspecial use case that drives growth of uplink data transfer rate. The 5Gis also used for cloud-based remote works and requires a much shorterend-to-end latency to ensure excellent user experience when a tactileinterface is used. Entertainment, for example, cloud-based game andvideo streaming, is another core element that strengthens therequirement for mobile broadband capability. Entertainment is essentialfor smartphones and tablets in any place including a high mobilityenvironment such as a train, car, and plane. Another use case isaugmented reality for entertainment and information search. Here,augmented reality requires very low latency and instantaneous datatransfer.

Also, one of highly expected 5G use cases is the function that connectsembedded sensors seamlessly in every possible area, namely the use casebased on mMTC. Up to 2020, the number of potential IoT devices isexpected to reach 20.4 billion. Industrial IoT is one of key areas wherethe 5G performs a primary role to maintain infrastructure for smartcity, asset tracking, smart utility, agriculture and security.

URLLC includes new services which may transform industry throughultra-reliable/ultra-low latency links, such as remote control of majorinfrastructure and self-driving cars. The level of reliability andlatency are essential for smart grid control, industry automation,robotics, and drone control and coordination.

Next, a plurality of use cases will be described in more detail.

The 5G may complement Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) and cable-based broadband(or DOCSIS) as a means to provide a stream estimated to occupy hundredsof megabits per second up to gigabits per second. This fast speed isrequired not only for virtual reality and augmented reality but also fortransferring video with a resolution more than 4K (6K, 8K or more). VRand AR applications almost always include immersive sports games.Specific application programs may require a special networkconfiguration. For example, in the case of VR game, to minimize latency,game service providers may have to integrate a core server with the edgenetwork service of the network operator.

Automobiles are expected to be a new important driving force for the 5Gsystem together with various use cases of mobile communication forvehicles. For example, entertainment for passengers requires highcapacity and high mobile broadband at the same time. This is so becauseusers continue to expect a high-quality connection irrespective of theirlocation and moving speed. Another use case in the automotive field isan augmented reality dashboard. The augmented reality dashboard overlaysinformation, which is a perception result of an object in the dark andcontains distance to the object and object motion, on what is seenthrough the front window. In a future, a wireless module enablescommunication among vehicles, information exchange between a vehicle andsupporting infrastructure, and information exchange among a vehicle andother connected devices (for example, devices carried by a pedestrian).A safety system guides alternative courses of driving so that a drivermay drive his or her vehicle more safely and to reduce the risk ofaccident. The next step will be a remotely driven or self-drivenvehicle. This step requires highly reliable and highly fastcommunication between different self-driving vehicles and between aself-driving vehicle and infrastructure. In the future, it is expectedthat a self-driving vehicle takes care of all of the driving activitieswhile a human driver focuses on dealing with an abnormal drivingsituation that the self-driving vehicle is unable to recognize.Technical requirements of a self-driving vehicle demand ultra-lowlatency and ultra-fast reliability up to the level that traffic safetymay not be reached by human drivers.

The smart city and smart home, which are regarded as essential torealize a smart society, will be embedded into a high-density wirelesssensor network. Distributed networks comprising intelligent sensors mayidentify conditions for cost-efficient and energy-efficient conditionsfor maintaining cities and homes. A similar configuration may be appliedfor each home. Temperature sensors, window and heating controllers,anti-theft alarm devices, and home appliances will be all connectedwirelessly. Many of these sensors typified with a low data transferrate, low power, and low cost. However, for example, real-time HD videomay require specific types of devices for the purpose of surveillance.

As consumption and distribution of energy including heat or gas is beinghighly distributed, automated control of a distributed sensor network isrequired. A smart grid collects information and interconnect sensors byusing digital information and communication technologies so that thedistributed sensor network operates according to the collectedinformation. Since the information may include behaviors of energysuppliers and consumers, the smart grid may help improving distributionof fuels such as electricity in terms of efficiency, reliability,economics, production sustainability, and automation. The smart grid maybe regarded as a different type of sensor network with a low latency.

The health-care sector has many application programs that may benefitfrom mobile communication. A communication system may supporttelemedicine providing a clinical care from a distance. Telemedicine mayhelp reduce barriers to distance and improve access to medical servicesthat are not readily available in remote rural areas. It may also beused to save lives in critical medical and emergency situations. Awireless sensor network based on mobile communication may provide remotemonitoring and sensors for parameters such as the heart rate and bloodpressure.

Wireless and mobile communication are becoming increasingly importantfor industrial applications. Cable wiring requires high installation andmaintenance costs. Therefore, replacement of cables with reconfigurablewireless links is an attractive opportunity for many industrialapplications. However, to exploit the opportunity, the wirelessconnection is required to function with a latency similar to that in thecable connection, to be reliable and of large capacity, and to bemanaged in a simple manner. Low latency and very low error probabilityare new requirements that lead to the introduction of the 5G system.

Logistics and freight tracking are important use cases of mobilecommunication, which require tracking of an inventory and packages fromany place by using location-based information system. The use oflogistics and freight tracking typically requires a low data rate butrequires large-scale and reliable location information.

The present disclosure to be described below may be implemented bycombining or modifying the respective embodiments to satisfy theaforementioned requirements of the 5G system.

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of an AI device.

Referring to FIG. 1, in the AI system, at least one or more of an AIserver 16, robot 11, self-driving vehicle 12, XR device 13, smartphone14, or home appliance 15 are connected to a cloud network 10. Here, therobot 11, self-driving vehicle 12, XR device 13, smartphone 14, or homeappliance 15 to which the AI technology has been applied may be referredto as an AI device (11 to 15).

The cloud network 10 may comprise part of the cloud computinginfrastructure or refer to a network existing in the cloud computinginfrastructure. Here, the cloud network 10 may be constructed by usingthe 3G network, 4G or Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, or 5G network.

In other words, individual devices (11 to 16) constituting the AI systemmay be connected to each other through the cloud network 10. Inparticular, each individual device (11 to 16) may communicate with eachother through the eNB but may communicate directly to each other withoutrelying on the eNB.

The AI server 16 may include a server performing AI processing and aserver performing computations on big data.

The AI server 16 may be connected to at least one or more of the robot11, self-driving vehicle 12, XR device 13, smartphone 14, or homeappliance 15, which are AI devices constituting the AI system, throughthe cloud network 10 and may help at least part of AI processingconducted in the connected AI devices (11 to 15).

At this time, the AI server 16 may teach the artificial neural networkaccording to a machine learning algorithm on behalf of the AI device (11to 15), directly store the learning model, or transmit the learningmodel to the AI device (11 to 15).

At this time, the AI server 16 may receive input data from the AI device(11 to 15), infer a result value from the received input data by usingthe learning model, generate a response or control command based on theinferred result value, and transmit the generated response or controlcommand to the AI device (11 to 15).

Similarly, the AI device (11 to 15) may infer a result value from theinput data by employing the learning model directly and generate aresponse or control command based on the inferred result value.

<AI+Robot>

By employing the AI technology, the robot 11 may be implemented as aguide robot, transport robot, cleaning robot, wearable robot,entertainment robot, pet robot, or unmanned flying robot.

The robot 11 may include a robot control module for controlling itsmotion, where the robot control module may correspond to a softwaremodule or a chip which implements the software module in the form of ahardware device.

The robot 11 may obtain status information of the robot 11, detect(recognize) the surroundings and objects, generate map data, determine atravel path and navigation plan, determine a response to userinteraction, or determine motion by using sensor information obtainedfrom various types of sensors.

Here, the robot 11 may use sensor information obtained from at least oneor more sensors among lidar, radar, and camera to determine a travelpath and navigation plan.

The robot 11 may perform the operations above by using a learning modelbuilt on at least one or more artificial neural networks. For example,the robot 11 may recognize the surroundings and objects by using thelearning model and determine its motion by using the recognizedsurroundings or object information. Here, the learning model may be theone trained by the robot 11 itself or trained by an external device suchas the AI server 16.

At this time, the robot 11 may perform the operation by generating aresult by employing the learning model directly but also perform theoperation by transmitting sensor information to an external device suchas the AI server 16 and receiving a result generated accordingly.

The robot 11 may determine a travel path and navigation plan by using atleast one or more of object information detected from the map data andsensor information or object information obtained from an externaldevice and navigate according to the determined travel path andnavigation plan by controlling its locomotion platform.

Map data may include object identification information about variousobjects disposed in the space in which the robot 11 navigates. Forexample, the map data may include object identification informationabout static objects such as wall and doors and movable objects such asa flowerpot and a desk. And the object identification information mayinclude the name, type, distance, location, and so on.

Also, the robot 11 may perform the operation or navigate the space bycontrolling its locomotion platform based on the control/interaction ofthe user. At this time, the robot 11 may obtain intention information ofthe interaction due to the user's motion or voice command and perform anoperation by determining a response based on the obtained intentioninformation.

<AI+Autonomous Navigation>

By employing the AI technology, the self-driving vehicle 12 may beimplemented as a mobile robot, unmanned ground vehicle, or unmannedaerial vehicle.

The self-driving vehicle 12 may include an autonomous navigation modulefor controlling its autonomous navigation function, where the autonomousnavigation control module may correspond to a software module or a chipwhich implements the software module in the form of a hardware device.The autonomous navigation control module may be installed inside theself-driving vehicle 12 as a constituting element thereof or may beinstalled outside the self-driving vehicle 12 as a separate hardwarecomponent.

The self-driving vehicle 12 may obtain status information of theself-driving vehicle 12, detect (recognize) the surroundings andobjects, generate map data, determine a travel path and navigation plan,or determine motion by using sensor information obtained from varioustypes of sensors.

Like the robot 11, the self-driving vehicle 12 may use sensorinformation obtained from at least one or more sensors among lidar,radar, and camera to determine a travel path and navigation plan.

In particular, the self-driving vehicle 12 may recognize an occludedarea or an area extending over a predetermined distance or objectslocated across the area by collecting sensor information from externaldevices or receive recognized information directly from the externaldevices.

The self-driving vehicle 12 may perform the operations above by using alearning model built on at least one or more artificial neural networks.For example, the self-driving vehicle 12 may recognize the surroundingsand objects by using the learning model and determine its navigationroute by using the recognized surroundings or object information. Here,the learning model may be the one trained by the self-driving vehicle 12itself or trained by an external device such as the AI server 16.

At this time, the self-driving vehicle 12 may perform the operation bygenerating a result by employing the learning model directly but alsoperform the operation by transmitting sensor information to an externaldevice such as the AI server 16 and receiving a result generatedaccordingly.

The self-driving vehicle 12 may determine a travel path and navigationplan by using at least one or more of object information detected fromthe map data and sensor information or object information obtained froman external device and navigate according to the determined travel pathand navigation plan by controlling its driving platform.

Map data may include object identification information about variousobjects disposed in the space (for example, road) in which theself-driving vehicle 12 navigates. For example, the map data may includeobject identification information about static objects such asstreetlights, rocks and buildings and movable objects such as vehiclesand pedestrians. And the object identification information may includethe name, type, distance, location, and so on.

Also, the self-driving vehicle 12 may perform the operation or navigatethe space by controlling its driving platform based on thecontrol/interaction of the user. At this time, the self-driving vehicle12 may obtain intention information of the interaction due to the user'smotion or voice command and perform an operation by determining aresponse based on the obtained intention information.

<AI+XR>

By employing the AI technology, the XR device 13 may be implemented as aHead-Mounted Display (HMD), Head-Up Display (HUD) installed at thevehicle, TV, mobile phone, smartphone, computer, wearable device, homeappliance, digital signage, vehicle, robot with a fixed platform, ormobile robot.

The XR device 13 may obtain information about the surroundings orphysical objects by generating position and attribute data about 3Dpoints by analyzing 3D point cloud or image data acquired from varioussensors or external devices and output objects in the form of XR objectsby rendering the objects for display.

The XR device 13 may perform the operations above by using a learningmodel built on at least one or more artificial neural networks. Forexample, the XR device 13 may recognize physical objects from 3D pointcloud or image data by using the learning model and provide informationcorresponding to the recognized physical objects. Here, the learningmodel may be the one trained by the XR device 13 itself or trained by anexternal device such as the AI server 16.

At this time, the XR device 13 may perform the operation by generating aresult by employing the learning model directly but also perform theoperation by transmitting sensor information to an external device suchas the AI server 16 and receiving a result generated accordingly.

<AI+Robot+Autonomous Navigation>

By employing the AI and autonomous navigation technologies, the robot 11may be implemented as a guide robot, transport robot, cleaning robot,wearable robot, entertainment robot, pet robot, or unmanned flyingrobot.

The robot 11 employing the AI and autonomous navigation technologies maycorrespond to a robot itself having an autonomous navigation function ora robot 11 interacting with the self-driving vehicle 12.

The robot 11 having the autonomous navigation function may correspondcollectively to the devices which may move autonomously along a givenpath without control of the user or which may move by determining itspath autonomously.

The robot 11 and the self-driving vehicle 12 having the autonomousnavigation function may use a common sensing method to determine one ormore of the travel path or navigation plan. For example, the robot 11and the self-driving vehicle 12 having the autonomous navigationfunction may determine one or more of the travel path or navigation planby using the information sensed through lidar, radar, and camera.

The robot 11 interacting with the self-driving vehicle 12, which existsseparately from the self-driving vehicle 12, may be associated with theautonomous navigation function inside or outside the self-drivingvehicle 12 or perform an operation associated with the user riding theself-driving vehicle 12.

At this time, the robot 11 interacting with the self-driving vehicle 12may obtain sensor information in place of the self-driving vehicle 12and provide the sensed information to the self-driving vehicle 12; ormay control or assist the autonomous navigation function of theself-driving vehicle 12 by obtaining sensor information, generatinginformation of the surroundings or object information, and providing thegenerated information to the self-driving vehicle 12.

Also, the robot 11 interacting with the self-driving vehicle 12 maycontrol the function of the self-driving vehicle 12 by monitoring theuser riding the self-driving vehicle 12 or through interaction with theuser. For example, if it is determined that the driver is drowsy, therobot 11 may activate the autonomous navigation function of theself-driving vehicle 12 or assist the control of the driving platform ofthe self-driving vehicle 12. Here, the function of the self-drivingvehicle 12 controlled by the robot 12 may include not only theautonomous navigation function but also the navigation system installedinside the self-driving vehicle 12 or the function provided by the audiosystem of the self-driving vehicle 12.

Also, the robot 11 interacting with the self-driving vehicle 12 mayprovide information to the self-driving vehicle 12 or assist functionsof the self-driving vehicle 12 from the outside of the self-drivingvehicle 12. For example, the robot 11 may provide traffic informationincluding traffic sign information to the self-driving vehicle 12 like asmart traffic light or may automatically connect an electric charger tothe charging port by interacting with the self-driving vehicle 12 likean automatic electric charger of the electric vehicle.

<AI+Robot+XR>

By employing the AI technology, the robot 11 may be implemented as aguide robot, transport robot, cleaning robot, wearable robot,entertainment robot, pet robot, or unmanned flying robot.

The robot 11 employing the XR technology may correspond to a robot whichacts as a control/interaction target in the XR image. In this case, therobot 11 may be distinguished from the XR device 13, both of which mayoperate in conjunction with each other.

If the robot 11, which acts as a control/interaction target in the XRimage, obtains sensor information from the sensors including a camera,the robot 11 or XR device 13 may generate an XR image based on thesensor information, and the XR device 13 may output the generated XRimage. And the robot 11 may operate based on the control signal receivedthrough the XR device 13 or based on the interaction with the user.

For example, the user may check the XR image corresponding to theviewpoint of the robot 11 associated remotely through an external devicesuch as the XR device 13, modify the navigation path of the robot 11through interaction, control the operation or navigation of the robot11, or check the information of nearby objects.

<AI+Autonomous Navigation+XR>

By employing the AI and XR technologies, the self-driving vehicle 12 maybe implemented as a mobile robot, unmanned ground vehicle, or unmannedaerial vehicle.

The self-driving vehicle 12 employing the XR technology may correspondto a self-driving vehicle having a means for providing XR images or aself-driving vehicle which acts as a control/interaction target in theXR image. In particular, the self-driving vehicle 12 which acts as acontrol/interaction target in the XR image may be distinguished from theXR device 13, both of which may operate in conjunction with each other.

The self-driving vehicle 12 having a means for providing XR images mayobtain sensor information from sensors including a camera and output XRimages generated based on the sensor information obtained. For example,by displaying an XR image through HUD, the self-driving vehicle 12 mayprovide XR images corresponding to physical objects or image objects tothe passenger.

At this time, if an XR object is output on the HUD, at least part of theXR object may be output so as to be overlapped with the physical objectat which the passenger gazes. On the other hand, if an XR object isoutput on a display installed inside the self-driving vehicle 12, atleast part of the XR object may be output so as to be overlapped with animage object. For example, the self-driving vehicle 12 may output XRobjects corresponding to the objects such as roads, other vehicles,traffic lights, traffic signs, bicycles, pedestrians, and buildings.

If the self-driving vehicle 12, which acts as a control/interactiontarget in the XR image, obtains sensor information from the sensorsincluding a camera, the self-driving vehicle 12 or XR device 13 maygenerate an XR image based on the sensor information, and the XR device13 may output the generated XR image. And the self-driving vehicle 12may operate based on the control signal received through an externaldevice such as the XR device 13 or based on the interaction with theuser.

[Extended Reality Technology]

eXtended Reality (XR) refers to all of Virtual Reality (VR), AugmentedReality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR). The VR technology provides objectsor backgrounds of the real world only in the form of CG images, ARtechnology provides virtual CG images overlaid on the physical objectimages, and MR technology employs computer graphics technology to mixand merge virtual objects with the real world.

MR technology is similar to AR technology in a sense that physicalobjects are displayed together with virtual objects. However, whilevirtual objects supplement physical objects in the AR, virtual andphysical objects co-exist as equivalents in the MR.

The XR technology may be applied to Head-Mounted Display (HMD), Head-UpDisplay (HUD), mobile phone, tablet PC, laptop computer, desktopcomputer, TV, digital signage, and so on, where a device employing theXR technology may be called an XR device.

In what follows, an electronic device providing XR according to anembodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of an XR electronicdevice 20 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 2, the XR electronic device 20 may include a wirelesscommunication unit 21, input unit 22, sensing unit 23, output unit 24,interface unit 25, memory 26, controller 27, and power supply unit 28.The constituting elements shown in FIG. 2 are not essential forimplementing the electronic device 20, and therefore, the electronicdevice 20 described in this document may have more or fewer constitutingelements than those listed above.

More specifically, among the constituting elements above, the wirelesscommunication unit 21 may include one or more modules which enablewireless communication between the electronic device 20 and a wirelesscommunication system, between the electronic device 20 and otherelectronic device, or between the electronic device 20 and an externalserver. Also, the wireless communication unit 21 may include one or moremodules that connect the electronic device 20 to one or more networks.

The wireless communication unit 21 may include at least one of abroadcast receiving module, mobile communication module, wirelessInternet module, short-range communication module, and locationinformation module.

The input unit 22 may include a camera or image input unit for receivingan image signal, microphone or audio input unit for receiving an audiosignal, and user input unit (for example, touch key) for receivinginformation from the user, and push key (for example, mechanical key).Voice data or image data collected by the input unit 22 may be analyzedand processed as a control command of the user.

The sensing unit 23 may include one or more sensors for sensing at leastone of the surroundings of the electronic device 20 and userinformation.

For example, the sensing unit 23 may include at least one of a proximitysensor, illumination sensor, touch sensor, acceleration sensor, magneticsensor, G-sensor, gyroscope sensor, motion sensor, RGB sensor, infrared(IR) sensor, finger scan sensor, ultrasonic sensor, optical sensor (forexample, image capture means), microphone, battery gauge, environmentsensor (for example, barometer, hygrometer, radiation detection sensor,heat detection sensor, and gas detection sensor), and chemical sensor(for example, electronic nose, health-care sensor, and biometricsensor). Meanwhile, the electronic device 20 disclosed in the presentspecification may utilize information collected from at least two ormore sensors listed above.

The output unit 24 is intended to generate an output related to avisual, aural, or tactile stimulus and may include at least one of adisplay unit, sound output unit, haptic module, and optical output unit.The display unit may implement a touchscreen by forming a layeredstructure or being integrated with touch sensors. The touchscreen maynot only function as a user input means for providing an input interfacebetween the AR electronic device 20 and the user but also provide anoutput interface between the AR electronic device 20 and the user.

The interface unit 25 serves as a path to various types of externaldevices connected to the electronic device 20. Through the interfaceunit 25, the electronic device 20 may receive VR or AR content from anexternal device and perform interaction by exchanging various inputsignals, sensing signals, and data.

For example, the interface unit 25 may include at least one of awired/wireless headset port, external charging port, wired/wireless dataport, memory card port, port for connecting to a device equipped with anidentification module, audio Input/Output (I/O) port, video I/O port,and earphone port.

Also, the memory 26 stores data supporting various functions of theelectronic device 20. The memory 26 may store a plurality of applicationprograms (or applications) executed in the electronic device 20; anddata and commands for operation of the electronic device 20. Also, atleast part of the application programs may be pre-installed at theelectronic device 20 from the time of factory shipment for basicfunctions (for example, incoming and outgoing call function and messagereception and transmission function) of the electronic device 20.

The controller 27 usually controls the overall operation of theelectronic device 20 in addition to the operation related to theapplication program. The controller 27 may process signals, data, andinformation input or output through the constituting elements describedabove.

Also, the controller 27 may provide relevant information or process afunction for the user by executing an application program stored in thememory 26 and controlling at least part of the constituting elements.Furthermore, the controller 27 may combine and operate at least two ormore constituting elements among those constituting elements included inthe electronic device 20 to operate the application program.

Also, the controller 27 may detect the motion of the electronic device20 or user by using a gyroscope sensor, g-sensor, or motion sensorincluded in the sensing unit 23. Also, the controller 27 may detect anobject approaching the vicinity of the electronic device 20 or user byusing a proximity sensor, illumination sensor, magnetic sensor, infraredsensor, ultrasonic sensor, or light sensor included in the sensing unit23. Besides, the controller 27 may detect the motion of the user throughsensors installed at the controller operating in conjunction with theelectronic device 20.

Also, the controller 27 may perform the operation (or function) of theelectronic device 20 by using an application program stored in thememory 26.

The power supply unit 28 receives external or internal power under thecontrol of the controller 27 and supplies the power to each and everyconstituting element included in the electronic device 20. The powersupply unit 28 includes battery, which may be provided in a built-in orreplaceable form.

At least part of the constituting elements described above may operatein conjunction with each other to implement the operation, control, orcontrol method of the electronic device according to various embodimentsdescribed below. Also, the operation, control, or control method of theelectronic device may be implemented on the electronic device byexecuting at least one application program stored in the memory 26.

In what follows, the electronic device according to one embodiment ofthe present disclosure will be described with reference to an examplewhere the electronic device is applied to a Head Mounted Display (HMD).However, embodiments of the electronic device according to the presentdisclosure may include a mobile phone, smartphone, laptop computer,digital broadcast terminal, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), PortableMultimedia Player (PMP), navigation terminal, slate PC, tablet PC,ultrabook, and wearable device. Wearable devices may include smart watchand contact lens in addition to the HMD.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a VR electronic device according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 4 illustrates a situationin which the VR electronic device of FIG. 3 is used.

Referring to the figures, a VR electronic device may include a box-typeelectronic device 30 mounted on the head of the user and a controller 40(40 a, 40 b) that the user may grip and manipulate.

The electronic device 30 includes a head unit 31 worn and supported onthe head and a display unit 32 being combined with the head unit 31 anddisplaying a virtual image or video in front of the user's eyes.Although the figure shows that the head unit 31 and display unit 32 aremade as separate units and combined together, the display unit 32 mayalso be formed being integrated into the head unit 31.

The head unit 31 may assume a structure of enclosing the head of theuser so as to disperse the weight of the display unit 32. And toaccommodate different head sizes of users, the head unit 31 may providea band of variable length.

The display unit 32 includes a cover unit 32 a combined with the headunit 31 and a display unit 32 b containing a display panel.

The cover unit 32 a is also called a goggle frame and may have the shapeof a tub as a whole. The cover unit 32 a has a space formed therein, andan opening is formed at the front surface of the cover unit, theposition of which corresponds to the eyeballs of the user.

The display unit 32 b is installed on the front surface frame of thecover unit 32 a and disposed at the position corresponding to the eyesof the user to display screen information (image or video). The screeninformation output on the display unit 32 b includes not only VR contentbut also external images collected through an image capture means suchas a camera.

And VR content displayed on the display unit 32 b may be the contentstored in the electronic device 30 itself or the content stored in anexternal device 60. For example, when the screen information is an imageof the virtual world stored in the electronic device 30, the electronicdevice 30 may perform image processing and rendering to process theimage of the virtual world and display image information generated fromthe image processing and rendering through the display unit 32 b. On theother hand, in the case of a VR image stored in the external device 60,the external device 60 performs image processing and rendering andtransmits image information generated from the image processing andrendering to the electronic device 30. Then the electronic device 30 mayoutput 3D image information received from the external device 60 throughthe display unit 32 b.

The display unit 32 b may include a display panel installed at the frontof the opening of the cover unit 32 a, where the display panel may be anLCD or OLED panel. Similarly, the display unit 32 b may be a displayunit of a smartphone. In other words, the display unit 32 b may have aspecific structure in which a smartphone may be attached to or detachedfrom the front of the cover unit 32 a.

And an image capture means and various types of sensors may be installedat the front of the display unit 32.

The image capture means (for example, camera) is formed to capture(receive or input) the image of the front and may obtain a real world asseen by the user as an image. One image capture means may be installedat the center of the display unit 32 b, or two or more of them may beinstalled at symmetric positions. When a plurality of image capturemeans are installed, a stereoscopic image may be obtained. An imagecombining an external image obtained from an image capture means with avirtual image may be displayed through the display unit 32 b.

Various types of sensors may include a gyroscope sensor, motion sensor,or IR sensor. Various types of sensors will be described in more detaillater.

At the rear of the display unit 32, a facial pad 33 may be installed.The facial pad 33 is made of cushioned material and is fit around theeyes of the user, providing comfortable fit to the face of the user. Andthe facial pad 33 is made of a flexible material with a shapecorresponding to the front contour of the human face and may be fit tothe facial shape of a different user, thereby blocking external lightfrom entering the eyes.

In addition to the above, the electronic device 30 may be equipped witha user input unit operated to receive a control command, sound outputunit, and controller. Descriptions of the aforementioned units are thesame as give previously and will be omitted.

Also, a VR electronic device may be equipped with a controller 40 (40 a,40 b) for controlling the operation related to VR images displayedthrough the box-type electronic device 30 as a peripheral device.

The controller 40 is provided in a way that the user may easily grip thecontroller 40 by using his or her both hands, and the outer surface ofthe controller 40 may have a touchpad (or trackpad) or buttons forreceiving the user input.

The controller 40 may be used to control the screen output on thedisplay unit 32 b in conjunction with the electronic device 30. Thecontroller 40 may include a grip unit that the user grips and a headunit extended from the grip unit and equipped with various sensors and amicroprocessor. The grip unit may be shaped as a long vertical bar sothat the user may easily grip the grip unit, and the head unit may beformed in a ring shape.

And the controller 40 may include an IR sensor, motion tracking sensor,microprocessor, and input unit. For example, IR sensor receives lightemitted from a position tracking device 50 to be described later andtracks motion of the user. The motion tracking sensor may be formed as asingle sensor suite integrating a 3-axis acceleration sensor, 3-axisgyroscope, and digital motion processor.

And the grip unit of the controller 40 may provide a user input unit.For example, the user input unit may include keys disposed inside thegrip unit, touchpad (trackpad) equipped outside the grip unit, andtrigger button.

Meanwhile, the controller 40 may perform a feedback operationcorresponding to a signal received from the controller 27 of theelectronic device 30. For example, the controller 40 may deliver afeedback signal to the user in the form of vibration, sound, or light.

Also, by operating the controller 40, the user may access an externalenvironment image seen through the camera installed in the electronicdevice 30. In other words, even in the middle of experiencing thevirtual world, the user may immediately check the surroundingenvironment by operating the controller 40 without taking off theelectronic device 30.

Also, the VR electronic device may further include a position trackingdevice 50. The position tracking device 50 detects the position of theelectronic device 30 or controller 40 by applying a position trackingtechnique, called lighthouse system, and helps tracking the 360-degreemotion of the user.

The position tacking system may be implemented by installing one or moreposition tracking device 50 (50 a, 50 b) in a closed, specific space. Aplurality of position tracking devices 50 may be installed at suchpositions that maximize the span of location-aware space, for example,at positions facing each other in the diagonal direction.

The electronic device 30 or controller 40 may receive light emitted fromLED or laser emitter included in the plurality of position trackingdevices 50 and determine the accurate position of the user in a closed,specific space based on a correlation between the time and position atwhich the corresponding light is received. To this purpose, each of theposition tracking devices 50 may include an IR lamp and 2-axis motor,through which a signal is exchanged with the electronic device 30 orcontroller 40.

Also, the electronic device 30 may perform wired/wireless communicationwith an external device 60 (for example, PC, smartphone, or tablet PC).The electronic device 30 may receive images of the virtual world storedin the connected external device 60 and display the received image tothe user.

Meanwhile, since the controller 40 and position tracking device 50described above are not essential elements, they may be omitted in theembodiments of the present disclosure. For example, an input deviceinstalled in the electronic device 30 may replace the controller 40, andposition information may be determined by itself from various sensorsinstalled in the electronic device 30.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an AR electronic device according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 5, the electronic device according to one embodiment ofthe present disclosure may include a frame 100, controller 200, anddisplay unit 300.

The electronic device may be provided in the form of smart glasses. Theglass-type electronic device may be shaped to be worn on the head of theuser, for which the frame (case or housing) 100 may be used. The frame100 may be made of a flexible material so that the user may wear theglass-type electronic device comfortably.

The frame 100 is supported on the head and provides a space in whichvarious components are installed. As shown in the figure, electroniccomponents such as the controller 200, user input unit 130, or soundoutput unit 140 may be installed in the frame 100. Also, lens thatcovers at least one of the left and right eyes may be installed in theframe 100 in a detachable manner.

As shown in the figure, the frame 100 may have a shape of glasses wornon the face of the user; however, the present disclosure is not limitedto the specific shape and may have a shape such as goggles worn in closecontact with the user's face.

The frame 100 may include a front frame 110 having at least one openingand one pair of side frames 120 parallel to each other and beingextended in a first direction (y), which are intersected by the frontframe 110.

The controller 200 is configured to control various electroniccomponents installed in the electronic device.

The controller 200 may generate an image shown to the user or videocomprising successive images. The controller 200 may include an imagesource panel that generates an image and a plurality of lenses thatdiffuse and converge light generated from the image source panel.

The controller 200 may be fixed to either of the two side frames 120.For example, the controller 200 may be fixed in the inner or outersurface of one side frame 120 or embedded inside one of side frames 120.Or the controller 200 may be fixed to the front frame 110 or providedseparately from the electronic device.

The display unit 300 may be implemented in the form of a Head MountedDisplay (HMD). HMD refers to a particular type of display device worn onthe head and showing an image directly in front of eyes of the user. Thedisplay unit 300 may be disposed to correspond to at least one of leftand right eyes so that images may be shown directly in front of theeye(s) of the user when the user wears the electronic device. Thepresent figure illustrates a case where the display unit 300 is disposedat the position corresponding to the right eye of the user so thatimages may be shown before the right eye of the user.

The display unit 300 may be used so that an image generated by thecontroller 200 is shown to the user while the user visually recognizesthe external environment. For example, the display unit 300 may projectan image on the display area by using a prism.

And the display unit 300 may be formed to be transparent so that aprojected image and a normal view (the visible part of the world as seenthrough the eyes of the user) in the front are shown at the same time.For example, the display unit 300 may be translucent and made of opticalelements including glass.

And the display unit 300 may be fixed by being inserted into the openingincluded in the front frame 110 or may be fixed on the front surface 110by being positioned on the rear surface of the opening (namely betweenthe opening and the user's eye). Although the figure illustrates oneexample where the display unit 300 is fixed on the front surface 110 bybeing positioned on the rear surface of the rear surface, the displayunit 300 may be disposed and fixed at various positions of the frame100.

As shown in FIG. 5, the electronic device may operate so that if thecontroller 200 projects light about an image onto one side of thedisplay unit 300, the light is emitted to the other side of the displayunit, and the image generated by the controller 200 is shown to theuser.

Accordingly, the user may see the image generated by the controller 200while seeing the external environment simultaneously through the openingof the frame 100. In other words, the image output through the displayunit 300 may be seen by being overlapped with a normal view. By usingthe display characteristic described above, the electronic device mayprovide an AR experience which shows a virtual image overlapped with areal image or background as a single, interwoven image.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a controller according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to the figure, the controller 200, which may sometimes bereferred to as a control unit, may include a first cover 207 and secondcover 225 for protecting internal constituting elements and forming theexternal appearance of the controller 200, where, inside the first 207and second 225 covers, included are a driving unit 201, image sourcepanel 203, Polarization Beam Splitter Filter (PBSF) 211, mirror 209, aplurality of lenses 213, 215, 217, 221, Fly Eye Lens (FEL) 219, Dichroicfilter 227, and Freeform prism Projection Lens (FPL) 223.

The first 207 and second 225 covers provide a space in which the drivingunit 201, image source panel 203, PBSF 211, mirror 209, a plurality oflenses 213, 215, 217, 221, FEL 219, and FPL may be installed, and theinternal constituting elements are packaged and fixed to either of theside frames 120.

The driving unit 201 may supply a driving signal that controls a videoor an image displayed on the image source panel 203 and may be linked toa separate modular driving chip installed inside or outside thecontroller 200. The driving unit 201 may be installed in the form ofFlexible Printed Circuits Board (FPCB), which may be equipped withheatsink that dissipates heat generated during operation to the outside.

The image source panel 203 may generate an image according to a drivingsignal provided by the driving unit 201 and emit light according to thegenerated image. To this purpose, the image source panel 203 may use theLiquid Crystal Display (LCD) or Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED)panel.

The PBSF 211 may separate light due to the image generated from theimage source panel 203 or block or pass part of the light according to arotation angle. Therefore, for example, if the image light emitted fromthe image source panel 203 is composed of P wave, which is horizontallight, and S wave, which is vertical light, the PBSF 211 may separatethe P and S waves into different light paths or pass the image light ofone polarization or block the image light of the other polarization. ThePBSF 211 may be provided as a cube type or plate type in one embodiment.

The cube-type PBSF 211 may filter the image light composed of P and Swaves and separate them into different light paths while the plate-typePBSF 211 may pass the image light of one of the P and S waves but blockthe image light of the other polarization.

The mirror 209 reflects the image light separated from polarization bythe PBSF 211 to collect the polarized image light again and let thecollected image light incident on a plurality of lenses 213, 215, 217,221.

The plurality of lenses 213, 215, 217, 221 may include convex andconcave lenses and for example, may include I-type lenses and C-typelenses. The plurality of lenses 213, 215, 217, 221 repeat diffusion andconvergence of image light incident on the lenses, thereby improvingstraightness of the image light rays.

The FEL 219 may receive the image light which has passed the pluralityof lenses 213, 215, 217, 221 and emit the image light so as to improveilluminance uniformity and extend the area exhibiting uniformilluminance due to the image light.

The dichroic filter 227 may include a plurality of films or lenses andpass light of a specific range of wavelengths from the image lightincoming from the FEL 219 but reflect light not belonging to thespecific range of wavelengths, thereby adjusting saturation of color ofthe image light. The image light which has passed the dichroic filter227 may pass through the FPL 223 and be emitted to the display unit 300.

The display unit 300 may receive the image light emitted from thecontroller 200 and emit the incident image light to the direction inwhich the user's eyes are located.

Meanwhile, in addition to the constituting elements described above, theelectronic device may include one or more image capture means (notshown). The image capture means, being disposed close to at least one ofleft and right eyes, may capture the image of the front area. Or theimage capture means may be disposed so as to capture the image of theside/rear area.

Since the image capture means is disposed close to the eye, the imagecapture means may obtain the image of a real world seen by the user. Theimage capture means may be installed at the frame 100 or arranged inplural numbers to obtain stereoscopic images.

The electronic device may provide a user input unit 130 manipulated toreceive control commands. The user input unit 130 may adopt variousmethods including a tactile manner in which the user operates the userinput unit by sensing a tactile stimulus from a touch or push motion,gesture manner in which the user input unit recognizes the hand motionof the user without a direct touch thereon, or a manner in which theuser input unit recognizes a voice command. The present figureillustrates a case where the user input unit 130 is installed at theframe 100.

Also, the electronic device may be equipped with a microphone whichreceives a sound and converts the received sound to electrical voicedata and a sound output unit 140 that outputs a sound. The sound outputunit 140 may be configured to transfer a sound through an ordinary soundoutput scheme or bone conduction scheme. When the sound output unit 140is configured to operate according to the bone conduction scheme, thesound output unit 140 is fit to the head when the user wears theelectronic device and transmits sound by vibrating the skull.

In what follows, various forms of the display unit 300 and variousmethods for emitting incident image light rays will be described.

FIGS. 7 to 13 illustrate various display methods applicable to thedisplay unit 300 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

More specifically, FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of a prism-typeoptical element; FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of a waveguide-typeoptical element; FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate one embodiment of a pinmirror-type optical element; and FIG. 11 illustrates one embodiment of asurface reflection-type optical element. And FIG. 12 illustrates oneembodiment of a micro-LED type optical element, and FIG. 13 illustratesone embodiment of a display unit used for contact lenses.

As shown in FIG. 7, the display unit 300-1 according to one embodimentof the present disclosure may use a prism-type optical element.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7(a), a prism-type optical elementmay use a flat-type glass optical element where the surface 300 a onwhich image light rays are incident and from which the image light raysare emitted is planar or as shown in FIG. 7(b), may use a freeform glassoptical element where the surface 300 b from which the image light raysare emitted is formed by a curved surface without a fixed radius ofcurvature.

The flat-type glass optical element may receive the image lightgenerated by the controller 200 through the flat side surface, reflectthe received image light by using the total reflection mirror 300 ainstalled inside and emit the reflected image light toward the user.Here, laser is used to form the total reflection mirror 300 a installedinside the flat type glass optical element.

The freeform glass optical element is formed so that its thicknessbecomes thinner as it moves away from the surface on which light isincident, receives image light generated by the controller 200 through aside surface having a finite radius of curvature, totally reflects thereceived image light, and emits the reflected light toward the user.

As shown in FIG. 8, the display unit 300-2 according to anotherembodiment of the present disclosure may use a waveguide-type opticalelement or light guide optical element (LOE).

As one embodiment, the waveguide or light guide-type optical element maybe implemented by using a segmented beam splitter-type glass opticalelement as shown in FIG. 8(a), saw tooth prism-type glass opticalelement as shown in FIG. 8(b), glass optical element having adiffractive optical element (DOE) as shown in FIG. 8(c), glass opticalelement having a hologram optical element (HOE) as shown in FIG. 8(d),glass optical element having a passive grating as shown in FIG. 8(e),and glass optical element having an active grating as shown in FIG.8(f).

As shown in FIG. 8(a), the segmented beam splitter-type glass opticalelement may have a total reflection mirror 301 a where an optical imageis incident and a segmented beam splitter 301 b where an optical imageis emitted.

Accordingly, the optical image generated by the controller 200 istotally reflected by the total reflection mirror 301 a inside the glassoptical element, and the totally reflected optical image is partiallyseparated and emitted by the partial reflection mirror 301 b andeventually perceived by the user while being guided along thelongitudinal direction of the glass.

In the case of the saw tooth prism-type glass optical element as shownin FIG. 8(b), the optical image generated by the controller 200 isincident on the side surface of the glass in the oblique direction andtotally reflected into the inside of the glass, emitted to the outsideof the glass by the saw tooth-shaped uneven structure 302 formed wherethe optical image is emitted, and eventually perceived by the user.

The glass optical element having a Diffractive Optical Element (DOE) asshown in FIG. 8(c) may have a first diffraction unit 303 a on thesurface of the part on which the optical image is incident and a seconddiffraction unit 303 b on the surface of the part from which the opticalimage is emitted. The first and second diffraction units 303 a, 303 bmay be provided in a way that a specific pattern is patterned on thesurface of the glass or a separate diffraction film is attached thereon.

Accordingly, the optical image generated by the controller 200 isdiffracted as it is incident through the first diffraction unit 303 a,guided along the longitudinal direction of the glass while being totallyreflected, emitted through the second diffraction unit 303 b, andeventually perceived by the user.

The glass optical element having a Hologram Optical Element (HOE) asshown in FIG. 8(d) may have an out-coupler 304 inside the glass fromwhich an optical image is emitted. Accordingly, the optical image isincoming from the controller 200 in the oblique direction through theside surface of the glass, guided along the longitudinal direction ofthe glass by being totally reflected, emitted by the out-coupler 304,and eventually perceived by the user. The structure of the HOE may bemodified gradually to be further divided into the structure having apassive grating and the structure having an active grating.

The glass optical element having a passive grating as shown in FIG. 8(e)may have an in-coupler 305 a on the opposite surface of the glasssurface on which the optical image is incident and an out-coupler 305 bon the opposite surface of the glass surface from which the opticalimage is emitted. Here, the in-coupler 305 a and the out-coupler 305 bmay be provided in the form of film having a passive grating.

Accordingly, the optical image incident on the glass surface at thelight-incident side of the glass is totally reflected by the in-coupler305 a installed on the opposite surface, guided along the longitudinaldirection of the glass, emitted through the opposite surface of theglass by the out-coupler 305 b, and eventually perceived by the user.

The glass optical element having an active grating as shown in FIG. 8(f)may have an in-coupler 306 a formed as an active grating inside theglass through which an optical image is incoming and an out-coupler 306b formed as an active grating inside the glass from which the opticalimage is emitted.

Accordingly, the optical image incident on the glass is totallyreflected by the in-coupler 306 a, guided in the longitudinal directionof the glass, emitted to the outside of the glass by the out-coupler 306b, and eventually perceived by the user.

The display unit 300-3 according to another embodiment of the presentdisclosure may use a pin mirror-type optical element.

The pinhole effect is so called because the hole through which an objectis seen is like the one made with the point of a pin and refers to theeffect of making an object look more clearly as light is passed througha small hole. This effect results from the nature of light due torefraction of light, and the light passing through the pinhole deepensthe depth of field (DOF), which makes the image formed on the retinamore vivid.

In what follows, an embodiment for using a pin mirror-type opticalelement will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.

Referring to FIG. 9(a), the pinhole mirror 310 a may be provided on thepath of incident light within the display unit 300-3 and reflect theincident light toward the user's eye. More specifically, the pinholemirror 310 a may be disposed between the front surface (outer surface)and the rear surface (inner surface) of the display unit 300-3, and amethod for manufacturing the pinhole mirror will be described againlater.

The pinhole mirror 310 a may be formed to be smaller than the pupil ofthe eye and to provide a deep depth of field. Therefore, even if thefocal length for viewing a real world through the display unit 300-3 ischanged, the user may still clearly see the real world by overlapping anaugmented reality image provided by the controller 200 with the image ofthe real world.

And the display unit 300-3 may provide a path which guides the incidentlight to the pinhole mirror 310 a through internal total reflection.

Referring to FIG. 9(b), the pinhole mirror 310 b may be provided on thesurface 300 c through which light is totally reflected in the displayunit 300-3. Here, the pinhole mirror 310 b may have the characteristicof a prism that changes the path of external light according to theuser's eyes. For example, the pinhole mirror 310 b may be fabricated asfilm-type and attached to the display unit 300-3, in which case theprocess for manufacturing the pinhole mirror is made easy.

The display unit 300-3 may guide the incident light incoming from thecontroller 200 through internal total reflection, the light incident bytotal reflection may be reflected by the pinhole mirror 310 b installedon the surface on which external light is incident, and the reflectedlight may pass through the display unit 300-3 to reach the user's eyes.

Referring to FIG. 9(c), the incident light illuminated by the controller200 may be reflected by the pinhole mirror 310 c directly withoutinternal total reflection within the display unit 300-3 and reach theuser's eyes. This structure is convenient for the manufacturing processin that augmented reality may be provided irrespective of the shape ofthe surface through which external light passes within the display unit300-3.

Referring to FIG. 9(d), the light illuminated by the controller 200 mayreach the user's eyes by being reflected within the display unit 300-3by the pinhole mirror 310 d installed on the surface 300 d from whichexternal light is emitted. The controller 200 is configured toilluminate light at the position separated from the surface of thedisplay unit 300-3 in the direction of the rear surface and illuminatelight toward the surface 300 d from which external light is emittedwithin the display unit 300-3. The present embodiment may be appliedeasily when thickness of the display unit 300-3 is not sufficient toaccommodate the light illuminated by the controller 200. Also, thepresent embodiment may be advantageous for manufacturing in that it maybe applied irrespective of the surface shape of the display unit 300-3,and the pinhole mirror 310 d may be manufactured in a film shape.

Meanwhile, the pinhole mirror 310 may be provided in plural numbers inan array pattern.

FIG. 10 illustrates the shape of a pinhole mirror and structure of anarray pattern according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to the figure, the pinhole mirror 310 may be fabricated in apolygonal structure including a square or rectangular shape. Here, thelength (diagonal length) of a longer axis of the pinhole mirror 310 mayhave a positive square root of the product of the focal length andwavelength of light illuminated in the display unit 300-3.

A plurality of pinhole mirrors 310 are disposed in parallel, beingseparated from each other, to form an array pattern. The array patternmay form a line pattern or lattice pattern.

FIGS. 10(a) and (b) illustrate the Flat Pin Mirror scheme, and FIGS.10(c) and (d) illustrate the freeform Pin Mirror scheme.

When the pinhole mirror 310 is installed inside the display unit 300-3,the first glass 300 e and the second glass 300 f are combined by aninclined surface 300 g disposed being inclined toward the pupil of theeye, and a plurality of pinhole mirrors 310 e are disposed on theinclined surface 300 g by forming an array pattern.

Referring to FIGS. 10(a) and (b), a plurality of pinhole mirrors 310 emay be disposed side by side along one direction on the inclined surface300 g and continuously display the augmented reality provided by thecontroller 200 on the image of a real world seen through the displayunit 300-3 even if the user moves the pupil of the eye.

And referring to FIGS. 10(c) and (d), the plurality of pinhole mirrors310 f may form a radial array on the inclined surface 300 g provided asa curved surface.

Since the plurality of pinhole mirrors 300 f are disposed along theradial array, the pinhole mirror 310 f at the edge in the figure isdisposed at the highest position, and the pinhole mirror 310 f in themiddle thereof is disposed at the lowest position, the path of a beamemitted by the controller 200 may be matched to each pinhole mirror.

As described above, by disposing a plurality of pinhole arrays 310 falong the radial array, the double image problem of augmented realityprovided by the controller 200 due to the path difference of light maybe resolved.

Similarly, lenses may be attached on the rear surface of the displayunit 300-3 to compensate for the path difference of the light reflectedfrom the plurality of pinhole mirrors 310 e disposed side by side in arow.

The surface reflection-type optical element that may be applied to thedisplay unit 300-4 according to another embodiment of the presentdisclosure may employ the freeform combiner method as shown in FIG.11(a), Flat HOE method as shown in FIG. 11(b), and freeform HOE methodas shown in FIG. 11(c).

The surface reflection-type optical element based on the freeformcombiner method as shown in FIG. 11(a) may use freeform combiner glass300, for which a plurality of flat surfaces having different incidenceangles for an optical image are combined to form one glass with a curvedsurface as a whole to perform the role of a combiner. The freeformcombiner glass 300 emits an optical image to the user by makingincidence angle of the optical image differ in the respective areas.

The surface reflection-type optical element based on Flat HOE method asshown in FIG. 11(b) may have a hologram optical element (HOE) 311 coatedor patterned on the surface of flat glass, where an optical imageemitted by the controller 200 passes through the HOE 311, reflects fromthe surface of the glass, again passes through the HOE 311, and iseventually emitted to the user.

The surface reflection-type optical element based on the freeform HOEmethod as shown in FIG. 11(c) may have a HOE 313 coated or patterned onthe surface of freeform glass, where the operating principles may be thesame as described with reference to FIG. 11(b).

In addition, a display unit 300-5 employing micro LED as shown in FIG.12 and a display unit 300-6 employing a contact lens as shown in FIG. 13may also be used.

Referring to FIG. 12, the optical element of the display unit 300-5 mayinclude a Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) element, Liquid CrystalDisplay (LCD) element, Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) displayelement, and Digital Micromirror Device (DMD); and the optical elementmay further include a next-generation display element such as Micro LEDand Quantum Dot (QD) LED.

The image data generated by the controller 200 to correspond to theaugmented reality image is transmitted to the display unit 300-5 along aconductive input line 316, and the display unit 300-5 may convert theimage signal to light through a plurality of optical elements 314 (forexample, microLED) and emits the converted light to the user's eye.

The plurality of optical elements 314 are disposed in a latticestructure (for example, 100×100) to form a display area 314 a. The usermay see the augmented reality through the display area 314 a within thedisplay unit 300-5. And the plurality of optical elements 314 may bedisposed on a transparent substrate.

The image signal generated by the controller 200 is sent to an imagesplit circuit 315 provided at one side of the display unit 300-5; theimage split circuit 315 is divided into a plurality of branches, wherethe image signal is further sent to an optical element 314 disposed ateach branch. At this time, the image split circuit 315 may be locatedoutside the field of view of the user so as to minimize gazeinterference.

Referring to FIG. 13, the display unit 300-5 may comprise a contactlens. A contact lens 300-5 on which augmented reality may be displayedis also called a smart contact lens. The smart contact lens 300-5 mayhave a plurality of optical elements 317 in a lattice structure at thecenter of the smart contact lens.

The smart contact lens 300-5 may include a solar cell 318 a, battery 318b, controller 200, antenna 318 c, and sensor 318 d in addition to theoptical element 317. For example, the sensor 318 d may check the bloodsugar level in the tear, and the controller 200 may process the signalof the sensor 318 d and display the blood sugar level in the form ofaugmented reality through the optical element 317 so that the user maycheck the blood sugar level in real-time.

As described above, the display unit 300 according to one embodiment ofthe present disclosure may be implemented by using one of the prism-typeoptical element, waveguide-type optical element, light guide opticalelement (LOE), pin mirror-type optical element, or surfacereflection-type optical element. In addition to the above, an opticalelement that may be applied to the display unit 300 according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure may include a retina scan method.

Hereinafter, an electronic device 20 according to the present disclosureas an HMD which a user worn on a head thereof may be implemented asvarious types including a glass type, a visor type, and the like asillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. Further, the electronic device 20according to the present disclosure may be described by using the samereference number in each figure only for components corresponding tocomponents of the electronic device illustrated in FIG. 5.

However, in describing the components included in the electronic device20 according to the present disclosure described below, even thecomponents corresponding to the components of the electronic deviceillustrated in FIG. 5 may be describing different reference numerals andthe electronic device 20 according to the present disclosure is notparticularly applied only to the electronic device illustrated in FIG.5. That is, the electronic device 20 according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure may be applied to a device forexperiencing a virtual reality in addition to an electronic device forexperiencing an augmented reality.

Further, hereinafter, when the components of the electronic device 20described with reference to FIGS. 14 to 17 are substantially the same asthe components of the augmented reality electronic device 20 illustratedin FIG. 5, a detailed description of the corresponding components may beomitted.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a reflection unitincluded in an electronic device according to the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 14, the electronic device 20 according to the presentdisclosure includes a display 400 having a see-through function, aprocessor 200 processing a content to be output to the display 400, anda photographing unit (camera) 500 capable of photographing and acquiringimages of an environment and objects around the electronic device 20.

First, the processor 200 generates a content to be displayed on thedisplay 400 and converts the content into a first light or a first beamL1 and transfers the first light or first beam L1 to the display 400.

The display 400 includes a reflection unit (reflector) 410 formedtherein and the reflection unit 410 includes a first surface 411 and asecond surface 412. The first surface 411 reflects the first light L1for the content incident on the display 400 from the processor 200 toeyes of the user and the second surface 412 reflects a second light orsecond beam L2 incident on the display 400 from the outside of theelectronic device 20 to the photographing unit 500.

At this time, the reflection unit 410 may be configured by a pin-mirroras illustrated in FIGS. 15 to 17. In this case, the first surface 411 isan upper surface of the pin-mirror and the second surface 412 is a lowersurface of the pin-mirror.

Referring to FIG. 15, the first surface 411 and the second surface 412of the reflecting unit 410 are arranged back to each other, a rearsurface of the first surface 411 and the rear surface of the secondsurface 412 contact each other to constitute the reflection unit 410.FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment in which thereflection unit is configured by a pin-mirror according to the presentdisclosure.

At this time, in order to fix the rear surface of the first surface 411and the rear surface of the second surface 412 which contact each other,an optical glue may be applied to the rear surface of the first surface411 and the rear surface of the second surface 412. In addition, theoptical glue 413 is made of a transparent material to be configured notto interfere with the see-through function of the display 400.

Meanwhile, in the reflection unit 410, a first mirror and a secondmirror may be deposited on the first surface 411 and the second surface412, respectively in order to reflect the first light L1 and the secondlight L2.

However, the first surface 411 and the second surface 412 themselves maybe configured by the first mirror and the second mirror, respectively.When the first surface 411 and the second surface 412 are configured bythe first mirror and the second mirror, the first mirror and the secondmirror are configured by a half-mirror used for the pin-mirror and thusconfigured not to interfere with the see-through function of the display400. Further, in this case, the optical glue 413 made of the transparentmaterial is applied to the rear surfaces of the first and second mirrorsto contact and couple the rear surface of the first mirror and the rearsurface of the second mirror.

The reflection unit 410 according to the exemplary embodiment is notconfigured in a type in which an optical system or an optical layer suchas a separate lens array is added onto the display 400 in order tophotograph the external environment of the electronic device 20.Therefore, transmittance of the display 400 having the see-throughfunction may be maintained similarly as in the related art. Further,since a size of the reflection unit 410 formed in the display 400 isalso maintained similarly as in the related art, a view of the user isnot significantly blocked.

Further, referring to FIG. 16, each of the first mirror and the secondmirror may be configured to have a curvature. FIG. 16 is a diagramillustrating an exemplary embodiment in which the reflection unit isconfigured by a pin-mirror having a curvature a according to the presentdisclosure.

When the first surface 411 and the second surface 412 themselves areconfigured by the first mirror and the second mirror, respectively, thefirst mirror is configured to have a first curvature and the secondmirror is configured to have a second curvature as illustrated in FIG.16. This is to suppress generation of double images when the reflectionunit 410 is implemented as the pin-mirror.

In this case, the first curvature and the second curvature may be equalto each other and the first mirror and the second mirror may be arrangedto be symmetrical to each other with the same curvature. However, thefirst curvature may be larger than the second curvature or the firstcurvature may be smaller than the second curvature. Accordingly, thedouble images generated from the first light L1 incident on the eye e ofthe user and the second light L2 incident on the photographing unit 500may be improved through the curvatures formed in the first mirror andthe second mirror.

Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIGS. 15 to 17, the processor 200 isdisposed adjacent to one end 401 of the display 400 and thephotographing unit 500 is disposed adjacent to the other end 402 of thedisplay 400, and as a result, the processor 200 and the photographingunit 500 are disposed to face each other.

More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 17, the processor 200 isdisposed on an upper end 401 of the display 400 and the photographingunit 500 is disposed on a lower end 402 of the display 400, and thephotographing unit 500 is disposed a downward direction from a verticaldirection to the optical axis formed by the eye e of the user.

However, a disposition relationship of the processor 200 and thephotographing unit 500 are not limited to the above description and theprocessor 200 and the photographing unit 500 may have variousdisposition relationships. For example, the processor 200 may bedisposed adjacent to the upper end 401 of the display 400 and byadjusting a reflection angle of the reflection unit 410, thephotographing unit 500 may be disposed adjacent to a left side or aright side of the display 400.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary embodiment of adisplay according to the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 17, the reflection unit 410 may be spaced apart fromthe processor 200 by a first distance d1 and disposed in the display 400and spaced apart from the photographing unit 500 by a second distance d2and disposed in the display 400.

In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 17, the first distance d1 andsecond distance d2 may be arbitrarily set according to a need tosuppress the generation of the double images or minimize interference ofthe view of the user.

Accordingly, the first distance d1 may be set to be equal to the seconddistance d2 and the first distance d1 may be set to be larger than thesecond distance d2. Further, the first distance d1 may be set to besmaller than the second distance d2.

Further, the display according to another exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure may further include a lens array 502 included in theother end 402 of the display 400 so as to be adjacent to a lower portionof the reflection unit 410, i.e., the photographing unit 500. The lensarray 502 serves to focus the second light L2 on the photographing unit500.

The lens array 502 may include all of at least any one of convex,concave, and freeform lenses. A type of lens included in the lens array502 is changed to suppress a double image effect which may occur whilethe second light L2 is incident on the photographing unit 500.

Particular embodiments or other embodiments of the present disclosuredescribed above are not mutually exclusive to each other ordistinguishable from each other. Individual structures or functions ofparticular embodiments or other embodiments of the present disclosuredescribed above may be used in parallel therewith or in combinationthereof.

For example, it means that structure A described with reference to aspecific embodiment and/or figure and structure B described withreference to other embodiment and/or figure may be combined together. Inother words, even if a combination of two different structures is notexplicitly indicated, it should be understood that combination thereofis possible unless otherwise stated as impossible.

The detailed descriptions above should be regarded as being illustrativerather than restrictive in every aspect. The technical scope of thepresent disclosure should be determined by a reasonable interpretationof the appended claims, and all of the modifications that fall within anequivalent scope of the present disclosure belong to the technical scopeof the present disclosure.

In an electronic device according to the present disclosure, since acentral axis of a viewing angle of a user and the central axis of a mainview of a stereo camera installed in the electronic device match eachother, an image quality for an external image photographed by theelectronic device is improved.

Further, in an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure, since a photographing unit for photographing anexternal object can be miniaturized and arbitrarily arranged, a size anda volume of the entire electronic device can be miniaturized.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic device comprising: a displayincluding a see-through function; a control unit configured to cause thedisplay to display content; a camera comprising an image sensor andconfigured to acquire images of an environment around the electronicdevice; and a reflector formed in the display and comprising: a firstreflection surface configured to reflect the content to an eye of auser; and a second reflection surface configured to reflect lightincident on the display from an exterior of the electronic device towardthe camera.
 2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the reflectorcomprises a pin-mirror, wherein the first reflection surface is an uppersurface of the pin-mirror and the second reflection surface is a lowersurface of the pin-mirror, and wherein the first reflection surface andthe second reflection surface are disposed back to each other.
 3. Theelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the first reflection surface andthe second reflection surface comprise mirrored surfaces.
 4. Theelectronic device of claim 3, wherein a transparent optical glue isdeposited between the first reflection surface and the second reflectionsurface
 5. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the firstreflection surface and the second reflection surface have a firstcurvature and a second curvature, respectively.
 6. The electronic deviceof claim 5, wherein the first curvature and the second curvature areequal to each other.
 7. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein thefirst curvature is larger than the second curvature.
 8. The electronicdevice of claim 5, wherein the first curvature is smaller than thesecond curvature.
 9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein thecontrol unit is disposed at a first end of the display and the camera isdisposed at a second end of the display opposite the first end such thatthe control unit and the camera face each other.
 10. The electronicdevice of claim 9, wherein the control unit is disposed at an upper endof the display and the camera is disposed at a lower end of the display,and wherein the camera is disposed downward from the eye of the useralong a vertical axis perpendicular to an optical axis of the eye of theuser.
 11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the reflector isspaced apart from the control unit by a first distance and spaced apartfrom the camera by a second distance.
 12. The electronic device of claim11, wherein the first distance is equal to the second distance.
 13. Theelectronic device of claim 11, wherein the first distance is greaterthan the second distance.
 14. The electronic device of claim 11, whereinthe first distance is less than the second distance.
 15. The electronicdevice of claim 1, further comprising: a lens array configured to focusthe light reflected from the second reflection surface toward thecamera.